The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress is a community of 56 Affiliated Centers existing to promote reading, libraries and literacy across the country. There is an Affiliate Center for the Book in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and Northern Marianas. These Centers elevate and advocate for each state’s unique literary heritage – developed by writers whose works reflect distinctively American places. Their stories, novels, essays, poems and other written works, rooted in the nation’s extraordinary diversity of people and geography, are often featured in the programs supported by the Affiliated Centers for the Book. These Centers engage, inspire and inform diverse audiences through author talks, web-based programs, podcasts, videos, writing challenges for young people, book festivals and other events designed to advance appreciation of the written word.
The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book is housed at the Indiana Young Readers Center at the Indiana State Library. The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book (ICB) has several exciting programs that Hoosiers can get involved with to promote literacy. We jury the Firefly Early Literacy Book Award; we have interactive displays and kiosks to teach about the Library of Congress and literacy; we host the Indiana Statehood Day writing contest and the Letters About Literature writing contest; we manage a program to offer storytime, STEAM, book, Lego and escape experience kits for teachers and librarians across the state; we host events and author visits; we created the Indiana Literary Places Map; and we support a collect of materials for young people written and illustrated by Indiana Authors and Illustrators.
Each year, the Affiliated Centers for the Book participate in the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Each Center for the Book Affiliate will staff a booth in the Festival’s Roadmap to Reading area to promote reading, libraries and literacy in their state. Annually, these Affiliated Centers for the Book select Great Reads from Great Places. Each affiliate chooses two titles. In most cases, these books – one for youth and one for adults – are written by authors from their state or territory, take place in their state or territory and/or celebrate local culture and heritage. In addition, this year, in honor of America’s 250th Semiquincentennial, affiliate centers were encouraged to choose a title that connects to that theme in some way. The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book works with Indiana Humanities to select titles.
The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book is delighted to announce its Great Read titles for 2026! The Center has chosen “Imogene’s Last Stand” written by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter for the 2026 Great Read Youth Selection. This book fits perfectly with the America’s 250th Semiquincentennial. It highlights how young people, like Imogene, can make a difference in their communities as we read about Imogene fighting to preserve history and save the local historical society from demolition.
“The Last Adieu: Lafayette’s Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic” by Ryan L. Cole is the 2026 Great Read Adult Selection. This book also fits perfectly with the America’s 250th Semiquincentennial. When the Marquis de Lafayette returned to the U.S. in 1824, the aging hero of the American Revolution was defeated politically and distraught over the fate of liberty in Europe. He set sail one last time from France for America after an absence of 40 years. He was welcomed with the grandest celebration the young republic would ever stage as he traveled to every state in the Union and met with parades and delirious crowds.
The Great Read books are recognized each year at the National Book Festival. The Library of Congress will host the 2026 National Book Festival on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Washington Convention Center. Check out the Library of Congress website for details.
The Indiana Affiliate Center for the Book invites Hoosiers to read “Imogene’s Last Stand” and “The Last Adieu,” available at your local library.
For more information, visit the Indiana Center for the Book website and check back for local “festivals near you” events this fall, right here in Indiana!
This blog post was submitted by Indiana Young Readers Center librarian Tammie Buchanan.